Emmet-Spiceland (1966-1970?)

Photo Gallery - Band Lineups - Discography - Audio samples - Where Are They Now?

The Story

In the mid-1960s, Donal Lunny, Brian Bolger, and Mick Maloney formed The Emmet Folk Group. The name Emmet-Spiceland came about when Mick Maloney left the band to join The Johnstons and Brian and Donal teamed up with Michael and Brian Byrne from Sheffield's Spiceland Folk shortly before winning the Wexford Ballad contest in 1967. (In the previous year the Emmet Folk had come second to The Johnstons). For a while the group was a quartet.

The Byrnes' father, Tommy, was a Feis Ceoil winner three years running in the Thirties. However, Brian Bolger left the band within a short time and they continued as a trio. The Wexford success led to a recording deal and in February of 1968 their Mary from Dungloe topped the Irish singles chart. Noted for their tight harmony arrangements, the band went on to success with their recordings of Baidin Feidhlimuid (1967) and Tá na Báid.

In 1969, Leo O'Kelly, who had been playing with the Tropical Showband from the age of 14 through 19, joined the band, replacing Donal Lunny who had reportedly "given up music to concentrate on his art." The trio did several tours over the next year, but their final tour (of the United States) featured Donal back in the band after Michael decided not to make the trip.

They broke up after the tour with Leo going on to form Tir na Nog in 1970. Meanwhile, Donal focused on making jewelry for a time until he was ask by Christy Moore to play on the landmark album, Prosperous. The musicians who played on the album would go on to form the legendary Planxty, at which point Donal gave up jewelry making for good.

Brian Byrne went on to achieve fame in the London production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Photo Gallery

click on thumbnails for full image


Emmet-Spiceland (BA)	Emmet-Spiceland - 1967(BA)	Emmet-Spiceland - 1968 (BA)	Emmet-Spiceland - 1969 (BA)	Leo joins the band

Emmet Spiceland (LR)	A - Emmet Spiceland - 1968	B - Emmet Spiceland - 1968	Coming Soon	Coming Soon

Lineup Changes

Years	Vocals/Guitar/Bouzouki	Vocals/Banjo/Mandolin	Vocals/Guitar/etc.
1965	Donal Lunny	Mick Moloney	Brian Bolger
1967	Donal Lunny	Michael Byrne	Brian Byrne
1969	Leo O'Kelly	Michael Byrne	Brian Byrne
1969 (final tour)	Leo O'Kelly	Donal Lunny	Brian Byrne

Record Releases (incomplete list):

Singles:

Mary from Dungloe / Hava Nagila - #1 Irish Charts
Inset Records - IN.702 - 1968
Baidin Fheidhlimi /Nora Bheag - #6 Irish Charts
Gael Linn Records - CES.002 - 1968
Bunclody / Lowlands Low - #8 Irish Charts
Page One Records - POF 089 - 1968
So Long Marianne / In Search of Franke
Page One Records - POF 143 - 1969
One Morning in May / The Willow*
Hawk Records - Hasp 328 - 1973

*This single was released when Honor Heffernan was in the reformed group with Brian Byrne and maybe even Paul Ashford)

Album:

The First
Hawk Records - HALP 166 - 1968

Audio Clips

Coming Soon

Where Are They Now?

	Donal Lunny: Donal became one of the most influential musicians on the Irish and eventually the International music scene. After leaving the band, he joined with Christy Moore to form the groundbreaking traditional band, Planxty, creating a sound that would change the Irish Traditional music scene forever. Through the years he has played with a wide range of top musicians, continuing to spread the influence of Irish music across the world. Today, he continues to tour and play on both sides of the Atlantic and around the world.
	Mick Maloney: After leaving the band, Mick joined The Johnstons who enjoy3ed enormous success at home and abroad. After a trip to Philadelphia in 1973, Mick went to the States to study folklore at the University of Pennsylvania. Although Mick had always expected to return to Ireland, he never did and carved out a musical career for himself in the folk circles of the States, where he still lives and plays today.
	Brian Bolger: Our thanks to Kieran McGregor who writes to tell us Brian is now prominent in a band in Montpellier France called Murphy. The band has been running for more than twenty years.
	Michael Byrne: Coming Soon
	Brian Byrne: Coming Soon
	Leo O'Kelly: Leo joined Tir na nOg after leaving the band and enjoyed many years of success with them. Today, Leo plays mostly solo and with his long time friend, bassist Garvan Gallagher, and increasingly lately, with Sonny in some glorious Tir na nOg performances. Leo lives in Dublin with his wife and their six year old son. Another song from Leo's Glare album,"On My way Home" is to feature in a new movie release, titled "Trouble With Sex"... Work has started on Leo's third album...

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